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F4U-5/7, AU-1 Wheels

 

 

Obscureco Aircraft

 

S u m m a r y

Catalogue Number and Description: OBS48004
Scale: 1/48
Price: USD$4 RRP
Contents and Media: 4 parts in grey resin
Review Type: FirstLook
Advantages: Big improvement on Hasegawa's tyres; very crisp casting; excellent detail; good fit.
Disadvantages: Indistinct tread pattern; take care - not all late Corsairs used these pressed wheels.
Recommendation: Highly Recommended to anyone building a late Corsair 

 

Reviewed by Brett Green

 

FirstLook

 

Obscureco have done modellers of Hasegawa's recent 1/48 scale F4U-5/7 Corsairs a great service by offering a relevant alternative to the fairly awful kit tyres.

Hasegawa have make a solid attempt at a detailed wheel by moulding both the inner and outer hubs separately. Detail on these parts is really quite good. However, the one-piece tyre lets the hubs down. The tyres are way too narrow. To my eye, the profile of the tyre looks to low too (although the overall diameter looks okay). Added to these problems are four ugly ejector pin marks on one side of the tyre. 

Obscureco Aircraft's replacement wheels address all of these issues. The wheel is cast in two parts - the tyre and inner hub as one part, and a nicely detailed outer hub as the second part. Detail is crisp and dimensions look good. 

The hub is the pressed metal style that graced some (but not all) of the later Corsair marques, including the F4U-5, F4U-7, AU-1 and many post-war racers.

My only criticism is that the tread pattern of the tyres is indistinct. It looks like a heavily worn radial tread pattern, but it is quite feint. 

These replacement wheels will make a noticeable difference to your Hasegawa late Corsair. 

Recommended.

Thanks to Chris Bucholtz of Obscureco Aircraft for the review sample..


Obscureco Aircraft products may be ordered by mail from:

Obscureco
957 Curtner Ave
Militas, CA 95125

Postage is free in the US for orders over $10. Postage is $4.50 for international orders.


Review and Images Copyright © 2001 by Brett Green
Page Created 25 May, 2001
Last updated 22 July, 2003

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